Needed support and services

THE PHILIPPINES is one of the countries that has no law on mental health. It is only recently that the Mental Health Act has gained ground both at the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Although there are public and private mental health care facilities in the country, majority are still located in the National Capital Region, which is not easily accessible to people from far-away places.

The government presently runs specialized institutions like the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mandaluyong City; Cavite Center for Mental Health in Trece Martires, Cavite; and the Mariveles Mental Ward in Bataan.

The NCMH is categorized as a Special Research Training Center and hospital under the Department of Health (DoH). It is mandated to render a comprehensive (preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative) range of quality mental health services nationwide. It also creates venues for quality mental health education, training and research geared towards hospital and community mental health services nationwide, according to its Web site. The institution offers psychiatric services and interventions for both hospital and outpatient services.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Mental Health Association, Inc. (PMHA) is a private, nonstock, nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of mental health and prevention of mental disorders, its Web site says. Its services are divided into three programs: Education and Information Services, which promote mental health and prevent